Continental gets further vehicle manufacturer approvals for its winter tyres

Continental has just secured further approvals for its winter tyres. Ultra-sporty cars, as well as compact and subcompact models will be driving this winter on tyres made by the European market leader.

These approvals underscore the outstanding combination of high safety standards and sporty performance of tyres developed by Continental’s engineers in Hanover.

As a co-supplier of tyres for the compact BMW 1 Series, the trendy MINI, and the sporty BMW M3, the winter tyre expert from Hanover can now boast further additions to its list of approvals. BMW chassis experts still only approve tyres offering an optimum mix of agile performance and good grip on wintry roads in the cold season. “It is extremely important to BMW that the tyres are capable of transmitting the vehicle’s very good handling properties to the tarmac”, explains Philipp Ohliger (27), tyre engineer at Continental. “At the same time, they must offer a high degree of safety on snow so that the whole fun of driving a BMW is retained without limitations during the cold season as well.”

The new ContiWinterContact TS 810 S tyres, with which some of the BMW and MINI models are now being equipped, thus differ in certain details from the normal series of tyres. “To make them distinguishable for the tyre dealers, an asterisk has been added to the tyre size marking”, says Ohliger. “We’re now making size 195/55 R 16 H for the 1 Series and the MINI, while the wider size 235/40 R 18 V is being used on the M3.” Developing a winter tyre capable of fulfilling the high expectations of the Munich car makers requires superb teamwork. And this time, teamwork was almost cross-generational, with Ohliger seeking the expertise of winter tyre specialist Franz Diensthuber (60). Collaboration was rewarding for both of them – and for the drivers of BMW’s 1 Series, M3 and MINI models, who now benefit from even more driving pleasure and safety.

Being included in the pool of original equipment tyres for BMW demonstrates that Continental is continuing its success story in tyre engineering and development. Meanwhile, the corporation makes the tyres for one in three cars produced in Europe, and is also a supplier to vehicle manufacturers in the U.S.A. and Asia. For these purposes, only tyres of the Continental brand are manufactured, while the other key brands Uniroyal , Semperit , General Tire and Barum are sold in the worldwide quality and budget segments of the replacement market. The European market leader uses its Gislaved , Viking , Euzkadi , Mabor and Matador brands to cover regional requirements in Europe and Central America .

• Viking range of tyres
• Uniroyal range of tyres
• Semperit range of tyres
• Matador range of tyres
• Mabor range of tyres
• Gislaved range of tyres
• General range of tyres
• Euzkadi range of tyres
• Continental range of tyres
• Barum range of tyres
• America range of tyres